The Canberra Raiders have been hit by a new injury blow, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad withdrawing from this weekend's NSW Cup game due to a hamstring injury.
The fullback was due to play last weekend in the reserve grade competition, but was pulled out of the match for the same reason.
While Nicoll-Klokstad is a problem for the Raiders as he attempts to work his way back into the club's best 17, where he last played off the bench against the Dragons behind starter Xavier Savage after four weeks on the sideline, reports suggest there are more immediate concerns, with both Nick Cotric and Elliott Whitehead battling their own injury concerns.
It was reported by The Canberra Times that Whitehead may have already been ruled out of the clash against the Melbourne Storm, coach Ricky Stuart suggested to the media both players were a good chance at running out for the Canberran club on Sunday afternoon.
"They're right. They've both been in rehab. They've had a couple of injuries and we're working around the clock with those boys," Stuart said.
Should they be out, James Schiller would come into the starting side alongside Corey Harawira-Naera, while one of Brad Schneider, Ata Mariota, Emre Guler or Albert Hopoate would be added to the bench, pending which sort of team Stuart wants to play with on Sunday against Melbourne.
Nicoll-Klokstad has been hampered by hamstring injuries this year on the other hand and re-aggrivated the injury ahead of the NSW Cup game in the bye week.
Stuart seemed to confirm after the club's captain's run that Nicoll-Klokstad's next game will be reserve grade, meaning he is at least another week away from being considered for first-grade duties.
"He's out again now. He's re-aggravated his hamstring. He should be right the week after," he said.
"He just can't get on the field at the moment.
"I wanted to play him second grade last week and give him some minutes and he aggravated his hamstring again.
"I was picking him this week to get some minutes. I've got to get some football into him before he gets back into the NRL and he's done his hamstring again."
